Coupling device for model railway cars



March 13, 1 956 J. w. FERRIS COUPLING DEVICE FOR MODEL RAILWAY CARS Filed July 17, 1952 FIG! IN VEN TOR.

JOHN W. FERRIS A T TORNE YS United States Patent COUPLING DEVICE FOR MODEL RAILWAY CARS John Walter Ferris, Auburn, Ind.

Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,345 11 Claims. (Cl. 213-75) The present invention relates to a device for coupling the cars of a railway train together, and more particularly to a coupling device which may be operated either magnetically or manually to break a coupling between ,two railway cars.

In the art of toy or model railroads, various means have been provided for 'detachably coupling the various train vehicles together. One of the most common expedients used up to the present time for providing a realistic coupling control for alternatively either connecting or breaking the coupling between the railway cars is an electromagnetic mechanism carried by the train, which may be operated to release the coupling for separating the various cars while the train is in motion. This particular arrangement possesses the disadvantage that it cannot be operated without a source of electrical energy. It is often desirable in the operation of model railways, that it be possible to uncouple the various cars by manual manipulation, so obviously, if a source of electrical energy is not available for operating the prior "art devices, a practical operating difficulty is presented.

Ideally, the mechanism for detachably coupling the various cars together should be capable of both manual and power operation for greater versatility in operating the train, the power operation providing means for remotely controlling the coupling while the train is either stationary or in operation, for conveniently arranging the train cars in the order of succession as desired by the operator.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a detachable coupling for a model railroad which may be conveniently operated either manually or with power.

It is a further object to provide a detachable coupling which may be released by the operation of a part thereof and locked for couplingtwo cars together by the mere abutting engagement of the coupling units of two cars being connected. In conjunction with this object, it is an ancillary object to provide remote control means for operating the first-mentioned part of the coupling for separating the cars while they are in motion. 7

It is a still further object of this invention to provide magnetic means for operating the coupling between railway cars, which is not carried by the train but instead is mounted on the track bed between the rails. By using this particular means for remotely controlling the operation of the coupling, instead of mounting the magnetic actuating means On the train itself, the problem of communicating I electrical energy to a running train is eliminated, thereby eliminating a common source of difficulty on obtaining reliable and eflicient coupler operation.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that specific change may be-made in the ice specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of this invention showing a railway car sitting on the tracks;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines a coupling between two railway cars;

Fig. 3 is a top view of one coupling unit which is carried by a car;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of this coupling unit taken substantially on section line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a partial section taken substantially on section line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and in addition shows a coupling unit of another car in position for a coupling operation.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, a track section, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, is shown as being comprised of the three spaced rails 12 which are conventionally used in electric model railway systems. These rails 12 may be mounted in any suitable manner upon a base 14, with the center rail 12 being broken, as shown, for a purpose which will become apparent hereafter. A railway car 15 is positioned on the rails 12 and carries on the end thereof an outwardly projecting coupling unit, generally indicated by the reference numeral 16. A magnetically these two slots 28 and 30, the base 14 is provided with 3 a raised support 32 which is substantially fiat across its top side 34 and recessed on the under side to receive the two electro-magnets 38 and 40. These magnets 38 and 40 are suitably secured to the support 32 by means of the screws 42. A movable bridge construction 44 is superposed upon the support 32 and is providedwith erect end sections 46 and 48 which pass through the slots 28 and 30, respectively. The opposite end portions of the bridge 44 are beveled as at 50 for a purpose which will become apparent hereafter. A flat plate section 52 is supported between the end sections 46 and 48, and preferably, is provided with a substantially flat upper surface which, as illustrated in Fig. 2, lies in the plane slightly above the running plane of the rails 12. The bridge 44 is suitably sized for free movement in the line position shown in Fig. 2.

A steel or the like armature 54, which consists of essentially only a fiat plate, made of magnetic material, is fastened to the lower extremities of the end sections 46 and 48 to be positioned directly opposite the lowest poles of the magnets 38 and 4-0.

As will be noted from the drawings, the end sections 46 and 48 of the bridge are made of such length that a space is provided between the magnets 38 and 4t) and the armature 54. Thus, When the magnets 38 and 40 are energized, the armature will be moved upwardly thereagainst carrying upwardly from the base 32 the bridge 44. The exact distance to be provided between the magnets and the armature 54 will of course depend upon design preferences and the height the bridge 44 is to be lifted.

With the bridge 44 in its illustrated, full line position, all parts of the coupling unit 16 (shown in dotted lines) will satisfactorily clear the upper surface of the bridge as the cars roll thereover. However, when the magnets 38 and 40 are energized, the bridge 44 is raised into the path of the locking pins which depend from the unit 16 and which operate the latter to produce a decoupling action. What occurs during this de-coupling operation will be explained in complete detail hereafter.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 5, it may be seen that the coupling unit 16 comprises a head 56 which has extending rearwardly therefrom a connecting bar 53 which may be securely fastened to the understructure of a railway car. As seen in Fig. 1, the head 16 projects outwardly from the rear of the car 15. Preferably, the head 16 is provided with a rectangularly shaped socket 60 having longitudinally extending sides 62 and 64 which are substantially parallel and arranged in horizontal planes. Vertically, along one end edge of the socket 160 is provided a forwardly extending lip or flange 66 which is inclined inwardly toward the socket 60 for a purpose which will become apparent hereafter. One of the sides 62, 64, and preferably the upper side 64, is provided with a depending ledge 63 (shown in section in Fig. which serves as a stop to be explained more fully hereafter.

Head 56 is further provided with a slot 70 which is of rectangular cross section and which passes transversely through the socket 66 at an angle substantially normal to the sides 62 and 64. A locking pin or element '72, also having a rectangular cross section, is reciprocably received by the guide slot 70 and is provided with rectangular notch 74, having parallel facing sides 76 and 7 8 which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the socket sides 62, 64. The depending portion 80 of the pin 72 is preferably rounded at its lowest extremity and may be of any suitable cross section, and as shown is of circular cross section. The fit between the pin 72 and the slot 719 is such as will allow free gravitational movement of the pin in the slot.

Adjacent the end edge of the socket 60 opposite the cam lip 66, are provided two forwardly extending lugs 82 and 34- which are spaced apart to have inner surfaces coextensive with socket sides 62 and 64. A U-shaped knuckle 36 is pivotally supported between said lugs 82 and 84, about a vertical wrist pin 83 which passes through one corner of the base portion of knuckle 86. As viewed more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, one leg 90 of the knuckle 86 may be pivoted inwardly to substantially fill the socket 60, and as shown in Fig. 5, is engageable with the ledge 68 to be retained inside socket 60. A torsion spring 93 is wrapped around the pivot pin 88 and has its ends $2 and 94 engaging the inner wall of socket 6t and the base of the knuckle 36 respectively, to tend to pivot the knuckle 86 clockwise or out of the socket 68. As explained above, the ledge 68 serves as a stop to limit the outward pivotal movement of the knuckle. As seen in Fig. 4, with the pin 72 in the position illustrated, the

knuckle 86 may be pivoted within the notch 74.

Leg Q6 of the knuckle 86 is cut back from the outer end to provide an upright shoulder 96 and a stop surface 23 which extends outwardly from the bottom edge thereof. Considering Figs. 3 and 4 together, and with pin 72 in its illustrated position, forceful rotation of the knuckle 86 counter-clockwise until the notch surface 78 is passed by the shoulder 96, will cause pin 72 to gravitate to the position where the surface 73 engages the knuckle stop 98. When this occurs, the knuckle 86 may be released whereby the force of the torsion spring will urge the knuckle clockwise until the shoulder 86 engages the side of the pin 72. This engagement provides an effective lock against further clockwise movement of the knuckle, and it is this action which serves to couple securely two railway cars together.

The tie-coupling may be accomplished by merely pushing the pin 72 upwardly until the notch side 78 clears the top edge 1% of the shoulder 9 The portion of the knuckle leg 90, which is contained Within the socket 60, is now free to pivot inside the pin notch 74, whereupon the knuckle 86 opens, to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, under the force of the torsion spring 93.

In operation, when the coupler 16 is open, as illustrated, the coupler may be locked into position for the purpose of coupling two cars together by merely rotating the knuckle 86 counter-clockwise until the locking pin 72 drops in front of the shoulder 96 as explained above. Decoupling is simply achieved by pushing the pin 72 upward until engagement with the locking surface or shoulder 96 is broken thereby allowing the knuckle 86 to swing outwardly under the force of the spring 93. To couple two cars together, it is of course necessary that the facing ends of the two cars have couplers 16 which are substantially identical in design but which are oppositely arranged. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the leg 102 of the cooperating knuckles 86 engage the cam surfaces 104 formed on the inner sides of the knuckle legs 90. By moving the two units 16 longitudinally toward one another, the two knuckles will be pivoted into their respective socket 69 until the shoulders 96 clear the notch surfaces 78 in the pins 72 whereupon the pins drop and couple the knuckles together. The moment both knuckles are effectively locked in position, a pull may be exerted on either coupler, which will be effectively transferred to the other coupler without breaking the connection therebetween. As explained previously, the two coupling units of Fig. 5, when coupled, may be easily separated by operating the locking pin 72 upwardly.

Referring now to Fig. 2, assuming that the two cars 106 and 103, which are shown in dotted lines, are effectively coupled together and are traveling toward the right, energization of the magnets 38 and 40 will result in the elevation of the plate 52 of the bridge 44 to the dotted line position. This position is in the path of the lower extremities of the pins 72, so that continued movement to the right of the cars will result in the engagement of the pins with the bridge ramp 50, 52. This engagement results in movement of the pins 72 upwardly whereby the knuckles 86 will be released and the two cars uncoupled.

Applicants invention may be operated either magnetically or manually, and if for some reason no power is available for operatio the magnets 38 and 40, obviously the operator will not be too seriously handicapped since he can manipulate the coupling mechanism manually. Furthermore, as explained previously, by having the remotely controlled power means stationary, that is, mounted on the track, no moving parts are involved which could become fouled and thereby interfere with the reliable and efficient operation of the mechanism.

In the use of this invention, coupling of the various train cars together, is simply achieved by bumping one car into another, in which case the coupling knuckles, as explained previously, are locked into place. ecoupling is simply achieved by energizing the magnets 38 and 40 and passing the cars thereover, or, by moving the coupler pin 72 upwardly as explained previously.

What is claimed is:

l. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a substantially rectangularly shaped socket having two parallel longitudinal side surfaces, a rectangular guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket at an angle normal to said side surfaces, a ledge provided on one of said side surfaces adjacent a longitudinal edge of said slot, an aligning flange extending forwardly from said head and along one end edge of said socket, two laterally spaced pivot lugs extending forwardly from said head and adjacent the other end edge of said socket, said lugs straddling the width dimension of said socket, a connecting bar carried by said head and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a U-shaped knuckle loosely received in said socket and between said lugs, a wrist pin passing through both lugs and a portion of the base of said knuckle whereby the latter may have a limited pivoting action inside said socket, a torsion spring surrounding a portion of said pin and engaging said head and said knuckle in such a manner as to tend to pivot said knuckle out of said socket, a portion of said knuckle being engageable with said ledge to retain said knuckle inside said socket against the force of said spring, a locking pin having a longitudinally extending portion of rectangular cross section reciprocally received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a. rectangular notch provided with parallel sides spaced co-extensively with the sides of said parallel socket sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a shoulder cut back from the end of one side of said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said torsion spring, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

2. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a substantially rectangularly shaped socket having parallel longitudinal side surfaces, a rectangular guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket at an angle normal to said side surfaces, a ledge provided on one of said side surfaces adjacent a longitudinal edge of said slot, two laterally spaced pivot lugs extending forwardly from said head and adjacent one edge of said socket, said lugs straddling the width dimension of said socket, a connecting bar carried by said head and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally received in said socket and between said lugs, a wrist pin passing through both lugs and a portion of the base of said knuckle whereby the latter may have a limited pivoting action in said socket, a torsion spring carried by said pin and engaging said head and said knuckle in such a manner as to tend to pivot said'knuckle out of said socket, a portion of said knuckle being engageable with said ledge to retain said knuckle inside said socket against the force of said spring, a locking pin having a longitudinally extending portion of rectangular cross section reciprocally received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a rectangular notch provided with parallel sides spaced co-extensively with the sides of said parallel socket sides, said knuckle being enterable into said notch, and a shoulder recessed back from the end of one side of said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said torsion spring, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

3. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a substantially rectangularly shaped socket having parallel longitudinal side surfaces, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket at an angle normal to said side surfaces, a

- ledge provided on one of said side surfaces adjacent a longitudinal edge of said slot, two laterally spaced pivot lugs carried by said head adjacent one end edge of said socket, said lugs straddling the width dimension of said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket by means of said lugs, a spring engaging said head and said knuckle in such a manner as to tend to pivot said knuckle out of said socket, a portion of said knuckle being engageable with said ledge to retain said knuckle inside said socket against the force of said spring, a locking pin reciprocably received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a notch provided with parallel sides spaced co-extensively with the sides of said parallel socket sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a locking surface recessed back from the end of one side of said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said spring, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

4. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket having parallel longi- 6 tudinal side surfaces, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket at an angle normal to said side surfaces, two laterally spaced pivot lugs carried by said head adjacent one end edge of said socket, said lugs straddling the width dimension of said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket by means of said lugs, a spring engaging said head and said knuckle in such a manner as to tend to pivot said knuckle out of said socket, a locking pin reciprocally received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a notch provided with parallel sides spaced co-extensively with the sides of said parallel socket sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a locking surface recessed back from the end of one side of said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said spring, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

5. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket, at least one pivot lug on said head and adjacent one side of said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket by" said lug, a spring engaging said head and said knuckle in such a manner as to tend to pivot said knuckle out of said socket, a locking pin reciprocally received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a notch provided with facing sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a locking surface on said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said spring, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

6. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket about an axis substantially parallel with said guide slot, means associated with said head yieldably urging said knuckle out of said socket, a locking pin reciprocally received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a notch provided with facing sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a locking surface on said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket against the force of said means, said locking pin having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle in said socket.

7. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head element provided with a socket, a guide opening in said element adjacent said socket, a U-shaped member having an upper portion and one leg in said socket, means associated with said element yieldably urging said member out of said socket, locking means reciprocably received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a shoulder Within said socket which engageably overlies said upper portion of said member, and a locking surface on said member engageable with one portion of said locking means when said shoulder is engaged with said member to lock said member in said socket against the force of said yielding means, said locking means having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said member in said socket.

8. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head member provided with a socket, a guide slot penetrating said head, a knuckle member pivotally supported in said socket adjacent one side of the latter, a locking element reciprocably received by said slot and having a notch provided with facing sides, said knuckle member being movable within said notch, and a locking surface on said knuckle member and engageable with one side of said locking element to lock said knuckle member in said socket, said locking element having a portion extending from said guide slot which may be manipulated to lock said knuckle member in said socket.

9. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket, at least one pivot lug on said head and adjacent one side of said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket by said lug, a locking pin reciprocally received by the aforementioned. guide slot and having a notch provided with facing sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch, and a locking surface on said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket.

10. A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket, a guide slot penetrating said head and passing through said socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported in said socket at one side thereof, a locking pin reciprocably received by the aforementioned guide slot and having a notch provided with facing sides, said knuckle being movable within said notch,

and a locking surface on said knuckle and engageable with one side of said locking pin to lock said knuckle in said socket.

11. -A car coupling device for model railroads comprising a head provided with a socket, a U-shaped knuckle pivotally supported on said head for movement into and out of said socket, said knuckle having a locking surface, and locking means reciprocably received by said head and having a portion which is selectively engageable with said locking surface to lock said knuckle in said socket, said portion being engageable with said locking surface upon movement of said locking means in one direction and disengageable therewith upon movement of said locking means in another direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,737 Buhoup May 13, 1890 798,646 Washburn Sept. 5, 1905 995,426 Hartman June 13, 1911 2,162,390 Rydin June 13, 1939 2,631,740 Watson Mar. 17, 1953 

